One of Taiwan’s new, domestically developed advanced jet trainer aircraft crashed on Saturday after reporting engine failure, though the crew safely bailed out, the island’s military said.
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The AT-5 Brave Eagle, made by state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corp with a budget of T$68.6 billion ($2.1 billion), had its first test flight in 2020.
Taiwan’s air force said the aircraft took off from the Chihhang airbase in Taitung on the island’s east coast and then reported the failure of both its engines. The crew parachuted to safety and were rescued.
An investigation into the accident has been set up.
It was the first such accident since the AT-5 began being handed over to the air force in 2021 and marks a setback for the programme.
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Taiwan’s air force plans on taking 66 units by 2026 to replace its ageing predecessor, the AT-3, and US-made F-5 training aircraft, which have suffered a series of crashes in recent years.